


Never Forget You (Always in My Heart)

by ScarletPotter



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Avengers Endgame, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Clint cries, Fluff, Hurt, Natasha Romanov Dies, Natasha Romanov Needs a Hug, The Avengers Are Good Bros, This hurts, Vormir, black widow legacy, clint deserves so much better, heck they all do, i could use one too, i want to sue the russos for emotional trauma, nat deserved so much better, natasha jumps, okay ill stop, the avengers could all use a hug, they honor her, you will need tissues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 13:59:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19395580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletPotter/pseuds/ScarletPotter
Summary: [Avengers Endgame] Natasha and Clint go to Vormir to retrieve the Soul Stone.





	Never Forget You (Always in My Heart)

Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton stepped off the jet landing in the milky abyss of what was labeled as Vormir. One was extremely eager and confident, in high spirits that they could be able to bring everyone back. One was hopeful that this would bring the Avengers back together, she wouldn’t be so lonely, and everyone wouldn’t find a need to mourn or to be grim. The family that had been through hell and back could finally rest easy, knowing that they saved the world. 

The other one was the opposite, this one was nervous, trying to keep his hopes low because if this didn’t work, if he couldn’t get his family back, he’d might as well stick a gun to his forehead and call it the end of the day. 

But the hopeful look on his best friend’s face was telling him differently. Even though he saw behind her facade, he saw the lonely, breaking face on his best friend. He immediately felt bad, he didn’t check up on her to see if she was doing okay. 

Instead, he turned to a life of crime, the life he never would have imagined he’d turn to. But he was broken. He was hurt. Why was it that the good people in his life, who had done absolutely nothing wrong have to go away, but the filthy scum were still able to wake up to another sunrise and live through another sunset. 

The two friends trekked up the cliff, only stopping to see the tall hooded figure. Once the figure stepped into the light and revealed just who the hell he was he nearly pissed himself. 

_ Out of all the damn people in this universe it had to be the fricking Red Skull.  _

The Red Skull approached them gingerly, in a guilty manner, as if he hadn’t come to terms with his banishment here. 

He spoke montonely, addressing the two Avengers, “Son of Edith. Daughter of Ivan.” 

Natasha asked trying to cover up the fact that this criminal knew who her father was, but she didn’t. Something that Clint knew himself. Natasha pressed, “How do we get the Soul Stone?” 

_ Ah, you look so hopeful, so optimistic, if only you knew the price of the stone. _

The Red Skull dipped his head down, almost ashamed but something about these two humans showed that they came to save something. “In order to get the Soul Stone, one must exchange their soul for it. Meaning, one of you must sacrifice yourself for the greater good as you Avengers would call it.” 

Both Avengers felt their hearts break, that this would be the very last time that they see each other. That one of them wouldn’t be able to go home, and help in the final defeat of Thanos. Only one of them would be able to return to 2023 while the other lay dead in this valley until the end of time. 

Both immediately thought, I’ll do it. One immediately thought, I’ll do it. If it means saving the world and bringing everyone back. I’ll do it. I don’t want to, but Clint has a father. There doesn’t need to be more orphans in this world. And the other immediately thought, I’ll do it. Even if it means I’ll never see Laura or the kids ever again, but Natasha doesn’t deserve to die. I’ve killed many, there’s red in my ledger. I should go.

Clint sighed softly as Natasha sat down stroking her hair as they both came to grim realizations, “He might be wrong you know. This could all be baloney.” Natasha shook her head, eyes empty betraying no emotion, “He’s telling the truth.” Clint asked, “Because he knew your dad’s name?” Natasha confessed in a broken, whispered voice, “Because I didn’t.” 

Natasha continued, “Nebula said that in 2018 Thanos took her sister, Gamora to retrieve the Soul Stone.” She paused and took a swallow, her Adam’s apple bouncing, “And only Thanos came back alive.” 

Clint nodded, coming to terms with this situation that was just so unfair, “Looks like one of us has to jump.” Natasha nodded, “Yeah. It looks like it.” She slowly rose causing Clint to say, “I think we’re beginning to think differently as to who has to jump.” Natasha nodded, playing a smirk on her face, “I think so too.” 

Clint immediately pushed Natasha aside telling her, “Tell Laura and the kids that I loved them alright?” He began to run when a force collided with him, sending him over. Natasha aimed her taser at him, “Tell them yourself.” 

Once again Clint jumped on top of her, and each took turns trying to pin the other down. Natasha breathed, “Clint, you have a family. You guys, the Avengers are mine.” Clint ignored her, arguing, “I have killed so many people.” Natasha squeezed his hand, “So did I. You taught me to give second chances.” Clint breathed with a watery laugh, “Damn me huh?” 

Clint pinned Natasha to the ground and sighed in confidence as he ran to the edge. He thought he won when he felt something shadowing over him and the next thing he knew, one hand was holding a rope, and the other was holding a dangling Natasha. 

_ It had been a rough mission, both Nat and Clint were injured. Natasha was bleeding through her left shoulder, and Clint had five bullet wounds. They were bleeding, but still, intact. Natasha liked to portray herself as the stronger one, the one who didn’t get hurt. This was the first time he had ever seen Natasha this weak on the floor breathing heavily.  _

_ It probably didn’t help that they were in Russia and were probably going to freeze to death.  _

_ Clint slung an arm around Natasha’s trembling shoulder, gently pressing the shoulder that wasn’t bleeding against his. He breathed heavily, “Nat? You okay?” Natasha sucked in a breath before answering, letting seconds pass by before answering with a light chuckle, “We’re still alive aren’t we?” Clint chuckled lowly before turning serious, “Nat, you’re freezing! Here, just come here, can’t have you dying out on me like that.” Natasha reluctantly rested her head against Clint’s strong and sturdy shoulder. She hated to admit it, but he was warm and it was helping her stay awake. She then noticed the blood coming out from his lower thigh, from where he got shot.  _

_ She snaked her hand over, and gently applied pressure. She mimicked, “Can’t have you dying out on me either.” Clint chuckled and within half an hour SHIELD Emergency evac was there to pick him up.  _

_ …… _

_ The last thing Clint remembered was a demigod who called himself Loki press a metal thing to his chest, and then everything went fuzzy. When he woke he was greeted with the biggest headache of all time and Natasha was sitting with concern etched on her face, and he was in restraints.  _

_ Then all the memories came flooding through him.  _

_ Loki had turned him into someone he wasn’t. Into someone bad. A murderer.  _

_ But Natasha stayed by his side, knowing all too well what it was like for someone to get inside your head and turn you into someone you weren’t. That was pretty much the story of her life. And she continued to believe in him, and she always stuck by her side.  _

_....... _

_ He remembered the day he found out he was going to have a daughter. The first thing he did was call Natasha. Clint breathed out quickly, “Nat. Can you talk?” Natasha nodded, replying, “I always have time for you Barton. Just at the wrong moments though.” She really needed to let Budapest go. He spoke, “Nat. I’m having a daughter.” Natasha smiled though no one could see it, “I knew it! I knew it was a girl! I’m so happy for you Clint! I really am! You’re going to be a great father, I can already see you changing diapers.” _

Clint felt the tears stream down his face as he clutched Natasha’s hand like it was the last thing on the planet. Natasha held his hand, giving him a consoling look. “Please. Let me go.” Clint cried freely now, shaking his head. “I can’t, I can’t lose you too.” Natasha spoke softly, “It’s going to be alright. We’re going to bring everyone back. That’s what I want. It’ll be alright. I promise you.”

Clint shook his head. Natasha was always the one that got him through everything. 

Natasha was the one who held his hand while Laura was giving birth to Lila. 

Natasha was the one who surprised him by sticking up for him when Fury threatened to fire him. 

Natasha was the one who convinced the Avengers that he was worth every once he was. 

Natasha was the one who helped him get Loki out of his head. 

Natasha was the one person who never hurt him. 

Natasha saw past the assassin, knowing all too well that he was in deep agonizing pain. 

And now to get his family back, he had to pay the price of his best friend. 

He shook his head, squeezing Natasha’s hand so hard he thought he might break it. 

Natasha shook her head softly, giving her a kind smile, “It’s okay. It’ll be alright.” She kicked off the wall of the cliff and fell, leaving Clint in a horrified expression as he buried his face in the crook of his elbow, feeling so much pain, and so much guilt. 

Somewhere along the next few seconds, he had passed out. When he woke, he was in a pool of water, lying on his back, unable to process the fact that Natasha had done it. 

Natasha had done the ultimate thing, sacrificed herself for everyone else in the universe, she was the best out of all of them. 

And when he returned back to 2023, he couldn’t meet any of his teammate’s eyes when they asked where Natasha was. He had collapsed to the ground letting eyes pool and drip down his face. Bruce asked concerned, “Clint? Where’s Nat?” 

Clint only opened his palm to reveal the Soul Stone glistening in his hand. His face was tear-streaked and that’s when Bruce put two and two together. He felt hollow and soon enough there were tears in his own eyes, “She did it. She sacrificed herself to save the universe. She’s the best hero out of all of us.”

Clint spoke hard and the Avengers knew how hard it must have been for him to watch Natasha, his best friend who had always been there for him, but he couldn’t quite return the favor. He confessed, “It was supposed to be me.” All eyes were on him now. He continued, “But she refused to go down without a fight, and she jumped. We have to have a funeral, fuck, shit, I can’t do this.” He slammed the stone into Steve’s hand and then walked outside to get some air. 

Tony exhaled sharply, for the first time showing emotion that Thor was sobbing himself. 

They all agreed-

Natasha Alionova Romanoff was _the best hero out of all of them._

She stayed at the Compound, despite every single one of them moving on, unable to cope with the loss of their fellow Avengers. She remained hopeful, optimistic that they were going to be able to bring everyone back. 

Natasha Alionova Romanoff was the Black Widow, she had a legacy that they had to uphold. 

And the Avengers, the remaining lot of them were going to do their part, they were going to give her the most beautiful funeral one could ever ask for, and they were going to keep fighting not only in the names of Hawkeye, Thor, Hulk, and the Avengers, but in the name of the one and the only Black Widow, Natasha Alionova Romanoff. 


End file.
